Thoughts on flying DELTA?

[LollipopPanda]

Our plane tickets are booked through Delta Airlines, but I've been reading some awful things about them on the web.

It has been at least 10 years since I've flown Delta, and they used to be my favorite airline. We cashed in some skymiles, and that is why we are using them.

Has anyone flown Delta in the past year? What was your experience using them? Did you fly coach or first class? Were your flights delayed? bags lost?

Thanks for any insight!

 

[BrerRabbit_fan]

I fly them twice a year, and did last year. They are my first choice airline, I fly out of NYC.

 

[ljcrochet]

I flew delta in December. We had no problems except that 2 of our 4 tickects were purchased with continetal air miles and we could not use the resort check in for those 2 tickets. But that was a contiental issue not a delta issue.

 

[uva185]

I can't count the number of trips I made on Delta last year but I flew over 75,000 miles. Delta is my preferred carrier. They are in the process of installing seat back entertainment systems on their aircraft. Currently a lot of aircraft are equipped with the entertainment system. It offers on demand music and movies, games, and live tv.

Most of my flights were on time but I did get the occasional delay -- like you would get on any airline.

I do not check bags very often but they didn't lose or delay my bag once this whole year. -- In fact once I was flying Columbia, SC to Tampa via Atlanta. I had a long layover in ATL so I decided to standby for the earlier connecting flight. I figured I would have to return to the Tampa airport to get my luggage after the later flight I was originally booked on got in, but NO, they actually put my luggage on the earlier flight I took!!

I like Delta a lot, they have made many many improvements over the past several years and I really enjoy flying with them.

 

[goofy4tink]

I have no huge issues with Delta. My preferred airline has been Jetblue in the last year or so, but they have started messing with their flights after purchase, so Delta isn't so bad.
Yes, Delta tends to cancel flights or change flight times, which can be a pain in the neck. But as long as you keep an eye out and watch for any changes, you should be good to go.
Right now, I can book Delta, nonstop from Boston to MCO, in August for $208 pp. Jetblue would cost me another $75-100 more pp. And, Delta's time is better. SW doesn't seem to be much better than JB's fares for the same time frame.

 

[Tozzie]

I fly Delta all the time, I know I have read that people have had issues with Delta but I never have had a problem. The worst they have done is change my flight times by 15 minutes at the most. I have read complaints about them cancelling fligths, I have never had that happen but I usually wait and don't book my flights till I am about 6 weeks out and that may be why I haven't had the issues with the flights changing.

 

[safetymom]

I have had nothing but great experiences on Delta. I am a medallion member and found them the best of all the airlines I fly.

 

[bavaria]

Frankly, every US carrier receives some negative press. Post a thread about an airline and someone will come along and tell you 'horror' stories.

But I don't consider changing flight times, delays, etc 'horror' stories. They are just the reality of travel, and quite often the infrequent traveller doesn't understand that, and doesn't have perspective. I don't think that I have really ever read a 'horror' story here about airline travel, except for some things which a few of us have PMd about offline and chose not to post because they may make already nervous flyers more uneasy.

US Airways flight 1594 passengers certainly had their own horror stories, but in the end some may well fly US Airways again as there is some reassurance as to the training and ability of the employees.

All US carriers must abide by strict safety requirements; that is my number one criteria. Everything after that is secondary. I would choose an airline based on your personal priorities, including things such as

• routing
• schedule
• alliance partnership
• value for price paid (different from price)
• IFE
• Buy on board
• anything else which you personally consider important

Another example: 'bags lost'. That means the bags never arrived, ever. Much more common is 'delayed bags', but many here will post about how their bags were 'lost'. Truly lost bags are rare.

So honestly, filter out most of what you read online, especially from sites populated by mostly infrequent flyers. Read flyertalk.com and see what the people who fly your carrier day in and day out for years think. And even then, you may find that most of the 'complaints' have to do with things like the shrinking size of hot nut servings or half a can of pop vs a full can of pop. Not earth shattering complaints, in my book!

Edited to add: I 'know' the 4 people who posted above me and as a result value their opinion - nothing against the other posters (who had positive things to say) but I simply don't know them. But after reading posts from those four for years, I trust that they have balanced judgement and are reasonable posters.

 

[ElizabethB]

Delta is my airline of choice. I fly often out of JFK.

 

[LollipopPanda]

thanks so much for the replies. I am glad to hear some positive comments because I've read so many negatives recently. All of you are helping me feel better about our flights.

 

[bavaria]

I didn't realise that I didn't list mine.

I fly Delta on average once every 18 months. I have no status with Delta, nor with their alliance. I have only good things to say about every flight and experience I have had with Delta, and from someone who flies more than 100,000 miles/year on some of the highest rated carriers in the world, I think that is saying something.

 

[lovingthemouse]

My sister has been a Delta flight attendant for the past 30 yrs, if she feels safe, then I think I could recommend them too.

 

[jcodespoti]

I fly Delta, mostly from BDL or LGA. No problems, unlike the near fist-fights at SWA...

Joe In CT

 

[Alexander]

Delta is our first choice carrier. We do fly Airtran or Jetblue as well if direct flights are available for our destinations. (Delta no longer has any direct flights from Syr or Roc to anywhere in Florida.) However, if the other carriers also have no flights that meet our flying needs, we will fly Delta. We often fly into Melbourne, FL near my parents home, and Delta is the only carrier who flies there as well.

Delta took incredible care of me a few years ago as I traveled alone with my two kids (8 y/o and 9 months at the time) when we were delayed for 18 hours due to mechanical issues. They went above and beyond anything I would have expected.

We did have our bags delayed one time, but everyone I talked to in person or on the phone was exceptional in locating our bags and getting them to our resort before we cruised out the next day. The delay was a human error--the gate agent put someone elses tags on our bags and they went to Savannah instead of Orlando. They knew exactly where my bags were at all times, it just took time to get them to us.

 

[ekidwell0001]

I always fly Delta, they are the main carrier out of Cincinnati, where i fly out of, and everyone has had certain issues with flying, but the worst thing ever, was i was in the aircraft going to the run way and we turn all the way back around to figure out that somethings wrong with the plane we're about to fly! they moved us to another plane and of course we were delayed, but overall it wasnt too bad. I havent lost a bag with them in years, but id say they are decent... At least they emailed last year about our flight time being changed, but thats another issue... Obviously we've dealt with issues with them. but i feel like this could happen with any carrier.